Mute for musical instruments



April 29, 1969 M. B. LEMON MUTE FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Filed Dec. 29, 1967 INVENTOR. Mfaf 5. Hwa/v United States Patent O U.S. 'CL 84-267 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A means for causing diminution of the tone of a stretched stringed musical instrument as a function of fory ward andjangular motion of a sound deadening medium on the strings at the front side of the bridge.

This invention relates to an improved mute for stretched stringed musical instruments.

The invention is primarily designed and adapted for use in combination with a guitar or similar instrument of the type wherein the strings are stretched between a tailpiece at the rear end of the body of the instrument and the tuning* pegs at the head of the finger board, and a bridge isf'intermediate the tailpiece and the pegs, and wherein the strings rearwardly of the bridge incline in the direction of and cross the bridge and are disposed at an angle substantially parallel to the fingerboard, the arrangement being such that the angle of the strings rearwardly of the bridge and the angle thereof forwardly of the bridge intersect each other substantially at the point of contact of the strings with the bridge.

As a result of extensive experimentation to determine the critical sensitivity of the strings of a guitar to pressure imposed thereon to diminish the tone of the instrument by checking or damping its vibrations, I found that when indiscrirninatory pressure is imposed on the strings forwardly of the bridge strains and stresses reflect at the tuning pegs causing slippage of and/ or tension on the strings with resulting detuning of the strings.

The dominate feature of the invention is a unique pushpull motion imparting linkage means mounted on the strings rearwardly of the bridge and coactive with a damping medium to move same angularly and forwardly from a non-dampening position relative to the strings where they contact the bridge to a position of damping contact of the medium with the strings at the front side of the bridge and motion thereof within a predetermined linear area thereof measured from immediately at the front side of the bridge, thereby preventing detuning of the strings heretofore Iattributed to strains and stresses imparted to the tuning pegs.

The principal objects of the invention are as follows:

The provision of a mute which is simple and can be economically manufactured.

The provision of a mute which can be attached to a guitar or similar instrument without requiring changes in the construction thereof.

The provision of a mute which is adjustable longitudinally relative to the bridge for coaction of the damping medium with the strings at the front of the bridge.

The provision of a mute which may be instantaneously operated by the player of the instrument.

The provision of a mute which is designed and adapted to prevent change in pitch of the strings and will uniformly impose the same pressure on each string of the instrument.

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Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description and appended claims taken with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view in side elevation showing the mute in nondamping relation to the strings of a guitar and supported by the strings of the instrument rearwardly of the bridge.

FIGURE 2 is a view in front elevation with the mute in non-damping relation to the strings.

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 showing the mute in its position of minimum damping relation to the strings substantially immediately at the front side of the bridge.

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of one of the clamp plates of the mounting means.

FIGURE 5 is a detail sectional view taken on line 5 5 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of the linkage guide plate.

FIGUR-E 7 is a detail section showing the mounting means clamped to the strings of the guitar.

FIGURE 8 is a view in side elevation of the mute showing the damping medium at a position of maximum pressure on the strings.

FIGURE 9 is a section through associated elements of the mounting means showing the actuator in its nondamping position of adjustment.

FIGURE 10 is a view similar to FIGURE 9 showing the actuator in its postiion of adjustment for maximum damping of the vibrations of the instrument.

FIGURE 11 is a detail perspective view of a portion of the actuator, and

FIGURE 12 is a view partly in elevation and partly in section of a portion of the actuator.

Referring to FIGURES 1, 2 and 7 of the accompanying drawing, the numeral 9, at FIGURE 2 represents a portion of the flat top wall of the body of a guitar or similar plucked-string instruments of the type wherein the strings 13 are stretched between a tailpiece 14 and a finger board 14, and a bridge 10 is situated intermediate thereof and disposed an appreciable distance forwardly of the tailpiece as distinguished from a guitar or similar instrument employing a combination bridge and tailpiece.

At FIGURES l, 3 and 8 the strings rearwardly of the bridge 10 incline forwardly of the tailpiece 14 and contact and cross the bridge and extend at an angle substantially parallel to the finger board 14', the angle of the strings forwardly of the bridge and the angle of the strings rearwardly thereof intersecting each other in a plane substantially perpendicular to the body of the instruments in juxtaposition to the bridge.

Supported by the strings 13 rearwardly of the bridge is a mounting means M comprising hat rigid rectangular clamp plates 15 and 16, and a triangular fiat rigid plate 22 having substantially V-shaped guides 21, 21, in alignment with each other transversely of the strings 13 and parallel to the bridge 10 and equi-distantly spaced apart from each other relative to the medial line of the body 9. Plate 15 has an actuator 18 supported by a pivot pin 17 at the rear end of plate 15 and disposed parallel to the bridge. Plate 22 has an opening 23 passing therethrough and aligned with an opening 24 in plate 15 and a threaded opening 25 in plate 16. Passing through said openings 23 and 24 and adjustable in opening 25 is a screw fastening 25. As shown at FIGURE 2 the plates 15, 16 and 22 are coeXtensive with each other and of a dimensional length to completely span the strings 13, plate 1S being above and plate 16 beneath the strings, the arrangement being such that the mounting means M may be adjusted longitudinally of the strings to a position where the guides 21, 21 are parallel to the rear side of the bridge 10.

Supported by the mounting means M is a motion imparting linkage means comprising forwardly diverging steel push-pull links 19, 19 of circular cross section as shown at FIGURE 5. The links are slidable through the respective guides 21, 21, and, as shown at FIGURES 1, 3 and 8, the front ends 19 thereof extend at a forward angle to the principal length of the links and terminate as short stub portions 19, 19", which extend angularly toward the front side of bridge and are welded to the rear side of a metallic channel member 11 disposed parallel to the bridge and faced with a damping medium 12 such as felt or equivalent material which is spaced apart from the Strings 13 where they contact and cross the bridge. The rear ends of the links are formed with -aligned pivots 19a, 19a, ,the axes of which are parallel to the bridge. These pivots are received in elongated bearing openings, openings 19b, 19b, in the actuator 18.

As the distance between the guides 21, 21, is substantially the same as that between the links 19, 19, at the junction point P between the angular portions 19' of the links and the principal length of said links, it follows that tilting motion of the actuator 18 in a counter clockwise direction causes friction between the links and adjacent inner Wall surfaces of the guides 21, 21, an increase in which is progressive and proportional to the extent of forward motion of the links and inversely when the links are moving in an opposite direction. At FIGURES 3 and 8 it is also observed that when advancing the damping medium to a selected damping relation to the strings 13 the links frictionally contact the front edge of plate 15 of the mounting means M. This resistance and the resistance imposed on the strings by the guides secure the damping medium in selected position of adjustment on the strings.

Upon referring to FIGURES 9, 10 and 11, and first to FIGURE 11, the actuator 18 has a portion 18e offset from the plane of the body portion thereof to provide stop surfaces 18a and 18b. When the actuator is tilted to the position shown at FIGURE 9 the stop surface 18b bears of the strings 13 to limit clockwise motion of the actuator and retract the damping medium from a selected position of damping contact with the strings 13 to the nondamping position shown at FIGURE 1. The angular motion of the links in a counter clockwise direction causes the medium 12 to clear the bridge and to take a position against the strings substantially immediately at the front side of the bridge as shown at FIGURE 3, this being a minimum damping relationship between the medium and the strings. When the medium is moved to the position shown at FIGURE 8, maximum damping contact is established between the strings and said medium. In either of these positions of the medium, the effective pressure of the medium on the strings is the function of variation in angularity of the links in response to tilting motion of the actuator about the axis of pin 17 and forward and angular motion of the links about the axes of the bearing openings 19b. By these niceties in the forms and arrangements of the elements, damping contact of the medium 12 with the strings is confined to within the limits of a linear area of the strings measured from the immediate front side of the bridge 10. I have found that satisfactory damping of tone can be had between minimum and maximum decibel levels when said area of the strings is not appreciably greater than an inch measured from said front side of the bridge, and that by reason thereof, damping is had with avoidance of stresses and strains on the strings heretofore inherent in prior devices.

Particular stress is placed upon the new and novel feature of the invention wherein progressively diminishing the tone of the instrument is the function of angular motion of the damping medium 12 from a position parallel to the bridge and spaced lapart from the strings where they contact the bridge to a minimum damping position at the inner terminus of a predetermined linear area of the strings forwardly of the bridge and then to a maximum damping position of the medium at the forward terminus of said area. I also stress the structural details of the motion imparting means and particularly the goose neck configuration of front end portions of the links 19, 19 enabling the damping medium to clear the effective surface of the bridge for free forward motion angularly relative to the front side of the bridge and against the strings at said side for minimum damping of the vibration as a function of angular and forward motion of said links and with minimum pressure of the damping medium on the strings following which and due to progressive change in angularity of the links by the guides 21, 21 pressure of the medium on the strings is proportional to change in angularity of the links, It follows that the linkage characterizing the motion imparting means is similar to a toggle motion, the links 19, 19 functioning to straighten out as a function of counter clockwise motion about the pivots 18 of actuator and then to reverse their angularity and take the position shown in full lines at FIGURE 1.

The actuator 18 is provided with supplemental bearing openings 35 situated respectively forwardly and rearwardly of the aforementioned bearing openings 19b so as to enable accurately adjusting the mounting means M relative to slightly different types of bridges requiring change in the effective angular and forward motion of the links 19, 19, to clear the bridge. t

What I claim my invention is:

1. A mute for a guitar or similar musical instrument wherein strings are stretched between a tailpiece and a iinger board and a bridge is situated intermediate thereof, said mute comprising, a first means having a vibration damping medium disposed parallel to the bridge ywith the damping medium in non-damping relation to the strings where they contact and cross the bridge, mounting means supported by the strings rearwardly of the bridge, and motion imparting means supported by the mounting 'means and operatively connected to said first means tof move same forwardly and angularly of the bridge to a position of damping contact with the strings at the front side of the bridge.

2. A mute according to claim 1 wherein means are included for limiting the extent of forward and angular motion of the motion imparting means to confine damping contact of the damping medium with the strings to within the limits of a predetermined linear area of the strings forwardly of the bridge and to limit rearward motion of said motion imparting means to secure said non damping relation of the damping medium to the strings where they contact and cross the bridge.

3. A mute according to claim 1 wherein there is included an actuator at the mounting means which is coactive with the motion imparting means for selectively controlling operation thereof.

4. A mute according to claim 1 wherein there is included means in coaction with the motion imparting means for maintaining a selected relationship of the damping medium to the strings forwardly of the bridge.

5. A mute according to claim 1 wherein the mounting means comprises fiat rigid plates transversely spanning the strings rearwardly of the bridge and between which said plates the strings are clamped to retain the mounting means at a selected position relative to the 'bridge and t0 secure said non-damping relation of the damping medium to the strings where they contact and cross the bridge.

6. A mute according to claim 1 wherein an actuator is situated at the mounting means and is tiltable about an axis disposed parallel to the bridge and wherein the motion imparting means comprises linkage operatively interconnecting the actuator and said first means, and wherein the mounting means includes means coactive with said 5 linkage to secure the damping medium in damping contact with the strings.

7. A mute according to claim 6 wherein the linkage comprises a pair of links xed at their front ends to said first means and pivoted at their rear ends to tilt about an axis parallel to the bridge.

8. A mute according to claim 7 wherein the links are disposed in forwardly converging relation to each other and wherein the mounting means has means coactive with the links to guide forward and angular motion thereof and cause frictional retardation of said motion.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,047,217 12/1912 Hartnett 84-294 1,177,184 3/1916 Hartnett 84-294 RICHARD B. WILKINSON, Primary Examiner. G. M. POLUMBUS, Assistant Examiner.

U.S. C1. X.R. 84-273, 3l0, 311 

